COVID-19 May Affect Electrical Functions in Frontal Lobes of the Brain
Revamped Review: COVID-19 and the Brain
There's mounting evidence suggesting that the novel coronavirus can wreak havoc on brain function, particularly in patients with severe cases. One study, published in the journal Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, analyzed EEG results from hundreds of patients to shed light on the neuro effects of COVID-19. Here's what they found.
According to the authors, approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 may experience neurological symptoms, ranging from headaches and confusion to more serious issues like strokes and seizures. WebMD notes that for those suffering from these symptoms, doctors might refer them for an EEG test. This procedure involves placing electrodes on the scalp to monitor the electrical activity of the brain.
While analyzing EEG results from 617 patients, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, and the University of Pittsburgh, PA, found some striking similarities. The most common findings were the slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges. The review also revealed that these abnormalities positively correlated with disease severity and preexisting neurological conditions like epilepsy.
While the virus may not be directly responsible for all the damage, systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest, may play a role in EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
The findings tell us that EEG tests should be used more liberally on a wider range of patients and in combination with other types of brain imaging, such as MRI or CT scans, that will offer a closer look at the frontal lobe. Dr. Zulfi Haneef from Baylor College of Medicine adds that EEG abnormalities linked to COVID-19 neurological symptoms add to concerns about long-term effects on the brain.
"A lot of people think they will get the illness, get well, and everything will go back to normal, but these findings tell us that there might be long-term issues," Dr. Haneef explains. On a positive note, the researchers found that approximately 56.8% of patients showed improvements in follow-up EEG tests.
Now, let's dig deeper into some key insights from the study. Contrary to what the review suggests, most EEG changes in severe COVID-19 cases are not exclusively tied to the frontal lobes. In fact, these changes are predominantly generalized, signifying global cerebral dysfunction rather than isolated frontal lobe pathology. While further research is necessary to pinpoint if there are unique frontal lobe EEG signatures associated with COVID-19 severity, the current evidence points to broader systemic rather than localized issues.
- The study published in the journal Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy revealed that approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 may experience neurological symptoms, which can include seizures, in addition to headaches and confusion.
- According to the Baylor College of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh researchers, the most common EEG findings in severe COVID-19 cases are the slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges, which are not exclusively tied to the frontal lobes, but rather signify global cerebral dysfunction.
- In the context of health-and-wellness and neurological-disorders, the broad systemic EEG abnormalities linked to COVID-19 neurological symptoms add to concerns about long-term effects on various regions of the brain, highlighting the importance of EEG tests and other brain imaging techniques like MRI or CT scans for a comprehensive understanding of the virus's impact on the brain.
